"I will not be shocked if we lose a few seconds" - Zeeman believes Tadej Pogacar has the upper hand ahead of decisive time-trial

The time-trial in this Tour de France is very hard, this year the race organizers have focused on a climbing-heavy route and have been able to get the spectacle out of it. Today however the riders take on a different challenge, and within Jumbo-Visma there are feelings of a slight advantage for Tadej Pogacar on the day.

“Jonas is a lot lighter than Pogacar. The time trial has a lot of flat parts, where more absolute power can be pushed, which is not in favor of a lighter rider. However, Jonas is not your average light rider," team DS Merijn Zeeman told Het Laatste Nieuws. "He is incredibly aero and can compensate for so much, but regardless of the form of the day after two weeks at the Tour, the time-trial Pogacar is better than Jonas. I will not be shocked if we lose a few seconds.”

Pogacar has raced only one time-trial this year, at the nationals right before the Tour, but he did not face competitive competition for his level. Vingegaard in the meanwhile has ridden two, winning at Gran Camiño and finishing second in the Criterium du Dauphiné on slightly hilly days. The UAE rider has also not been at the windtunnel in May as initially scheduled due to his wrist injury.

However the time-trial is not the main focus for Zeeman at the moment, instead Wednesday's queen stage into Courchevel could see the race decided, whichever way it goes. “We have identified several stages where we wanted to make a difference. The first time was in the stage over Marie Blanque, which worked out. The ride of the following day over the Tourmalet was also marked, but we even lost time there. Wednesday's ride is also circled. That is the day we go all in.”

The leader of the Dutch team in the convoy assured too that both Sepp Kuss and Wout van Aert will be going all-out on the day, for stage win and GC reasons. "No. Wout and Sepp are also going full out. They want that too. That was not agreed in advance with Sepp, but he is now sixth and you never know if that will come in handy. Wout is preparing for the World Championship time trial."

"Normally the course is too difficult for him, Wout himself thinks that it will go for the day victory between Jonas and Pogacar, but for Wout it is an important day for what follows after the Tour," he concludes. Meanwhile, likely the rest of the team will take it more easily in order to set up a move on stage 17.